Pre-formed arch and method of making same



Nov. 14, 1961 E. F. WlDlN 3,003,273

PRE-FORMED ARCH AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April '7, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet ;1

ATTORNEYS Nov 14, 1961 E. F. wmm 3,908,273

PRE-FORMED ARCH AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 7, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aw WM ATTORN S United rates 3,068,273 PR S-FORMED ARCH AND METHOD QF MAKWG SAME Edgar Felix Widin, 6 Karen Terrace, Westfieid, NJ. Filed Apr. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 864,786 1 Claim. (Cl. 50-60) The present invention relates to a pre-formed arch and the method of making same for installation as a unit.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a preformed arch structure which can be secured in the upper corner of a rectangular doorway as a unit in forming an arch in the doorway.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of forming an arch in a section of plasterboard and for permanently and rigidly locking the plasterboard in the arched form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a preformed arch structure which can be secured in position in the corner of a rectangular doorway of a building to cooperate with conventional plasterboard dry wall panels forming the remainder of the wall surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a preformed arch structure and method of forming same which is inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install and which materially reduces the labor cost in forming building arches.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the invention attached to a rectangular doorway;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one of the corner forming members of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURES 5 through 7 are a plurality of longitudinal cross-sections illustrating the steps of the method of forming the rigid fixed arch panel.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally an arch unit constructed in accordance with the invention.

The arch unit 10 comprises an arcuate plasterboard panel 11 having the side edges 12, 13 thereof engaging a pair of spaced parallel generally flat plasterboard panels 14, 15.

The panels 14, 15 have the edges thereof in contact with the panel 11 formed concavely arcuate to conform to the shape of the panel 11. A corner bead, generally indicated at 16, has a pair of legs 17, 18 extending generally perpendicularly to each other and connected by an arcuate portion 19 at their intersection. The corner beads 16 are curved to conform to the shape of the panel 11 and also to the flat surface of the panels 14, 15, as illustrated in FIGURES l and 4. The leg 18 has a plurality of slits 18a cut therein in spaced parallel relation to permit the leg 18 to be curved as shown. A plurality of tubular rivets 20 extend through the legs 17, 18 and through the panels 11, 14, 15 to secure the panels 14, 15 to the opposite side edges of the panel 11. The tubular rivets 20 are rolled outwardly to form heads 21, 22 on the opposite ends thereof with the head 21 being pressed into the metal of the legs ice 17, 18 and the head 22 engaging against a washer 23, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 4. In addition to the openings through which the rivets 20 extend, the legs 17, 18 are perforated to form a grip for the taping cement which is conventionally applied to finish the dry wall surface.

The curved panel 11 is formed by making a plurality of spaced parallel transversely extending kerf cuts 24 completely through one side thereof and the plaster with the finish paper 25 being left intact on the opposite side. The panel 11 is then placed over an arcuate form 26 with the kerf cuts 24 extending upwardly, as is shown in FIGURE 6. The paper cover 25 curves to the shape of the form 26 in a smooth curvature. With the panel 11 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 6, wet plaster 27 is pressed into the kerf cuts 24, completely filling the kerf cuts 24 and providing a plaster surface over the rear face of the panel 11.

A paper tape 28 is then adhered to the plaster 27 to form a smooth finished surface to the panel 11. The panel 11 is then allowed to remain on the form 26 until the plaster 27 has hardened so that the panel 11 is provided with a permanent rigid curvature.

With the rigid panel 11 pre-formed into a rigid curvature, the side panels 14, 15 are attached to the opposite side edges thereof, as described above, to complete the arch structure.

After the arch unit 10 has been completely pre-formed, it is taken to the job site and there secured to the 2x4 partition members 29 which form a rectangular doorway of a home. After securing the arch unit 10 in the corner of a doorway, conventional plasterboard installing methods are followed to complete the dry wall construction.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A pre-formed plaster arch comprising a rigid arcuate panel comprised of a first paper tape, a plaster board panel having a plurality of kerf cuts therein and curved to expand the outer edges of said kerf cuts on said paper tape, plaster filling said expanded kerf cuts, and a second paper tape overlying said plaster, said arcuate panel having horizontally spaced parallel arcuate side edges, a pair of generally flat panels engaging the opposite side edges of said arcuate panel, an arcuate bead strip engaging over the corners at the intersection of said flat panels with said arcuate panel, and a plurality of tubular rivets extending through said panels and said bead strips rigidly securing said panels and said strips together to form a rigid preformed arch unit, said generally flat panels having concave arcuate edges engaging the opposite side edges of said arcuate panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,782,147 Merryweather Nov. 18, 1930 1,931,889 Brainard Oct. 24, 1933 2,011,796 Christensen Aug. 20, 1935 2,064,704 Vass Dec. 15, 1936 2,274,662 Briggs et al Mar. 3, 1942 2,336,852 Elmendorf Dec. 14, 1943 2,386,821 Tardiff Oct. 16, 1945 2,444,394 Arnold June 29, 1948 2,843,888 Hovey et a1 July 22, 1958 

